A Historical Perspective of Global Warming

2493 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What causes global warming

A Historical Perspective of Global Warming Global warming is a problem that has just recently come to the forefront of world affairs. Within the last fifteen to twenty years, we have known that this problem was not only possible, but likely; but nothing has really gotten done. The origin of global warming is often disputed, and is being debated all over the world today. Whatever the cause may be, historians believe this is a problem at least 100 years in the making. Since the Industrial Revolution, we have been on a fast track to pollute Earth to a way-of-life-altering extent. We are only beginning to see the results of that today. Most scientists base their research on proxy data; ancient sources such as carvings, and historical records of past Earth climatology and average sea levels. They then compare the historical data to what we’re experiencing today. Our recorded data can only extend back so far, but the consensus is that a shift is ongoing. It was normal in this field for the information I dealt with to be presented in a chronological manner, leading up to where we are at now with the problem. Experts such as Hubert Lamb or Robert Mendelsohn showed how new scientific groups and studies were all based off of, and influenced by, events and studies that occurred in the past. In addition, most sources often pointed to the work of other scholars to establish the credibility of their research, imploring an ethos-based appeal to the reader. Through studying the history and climatology of the Earth, experts agree that the problem of global warming is ongoing and developing, and is based on natural weather patterns, human activities, or a combination of the two. Some experts on the issue argue that Earth’s clima... ... middle of paper ... ... and will only get more interesting as new developments come about. Works Cited Boykoff, Jules & Maxwell. “Journalistic Balance as Global Warming Bias.” Extra! Nov 2004.14 May 2007. Lamb, Hubert. “An approach to the study of the development of climate and its impact on human affairs.” Climate and History. Ed. Wigley, Ingram and Farmer. London: Cambridge University Press, 1981. 291-309. Mendelsohn, Robert. The Greening of Global Warming. Washington D.C: The AEI Press, 1999. Ingram, M.J., Farmer, G., Wigley, T.M.L. “Past climates and their impact on man: a review.” Climate and History. Ed. Wigley, Ingram, and Farmer. London: Cambridge University Press, 1981. 3-52. http://www.ipcc.ch. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 18 May 2007.

Show More
Related

  • Argumentative Essay On Global Warming

    1579 Words  | 4 Pages

    Global warming has become on of the most controversial issues in the media today. While most of the Western world countries have generally accepted the premise that man's chemical emissions in the atmosphere can and are affected by the world’s climate patterns, in the United States, the issue has become so politicized with many republicans challenging the science behind the theory. Global warming is a greenhouse effect whereby gases are trapped on the earth’s surface causing it to heat up (Maslin 14). It is based on the worldwide temperature records that have been maintained by human beings through their activities since the 1880,s. In addition, global warming is not only caused by human activities only but also through climate changes in solar radiance. The problem is that, humans continue to contribute to the global warming phenomenon. All citizens should work in reducing human activities that cause global warming and also support the development of nuclear power. Scientists deem that, global warming is mainly caused by human activities which accelerate the natural process by creating greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Human activities have become a great contribution to the greenhouse effect and this means that climate changes are inevitable. They further argue that, if these activities continue and are not reduced, it will lead to more trapping of energy radiated from the earth and this will likely lead to extreme weather and global warming. Global warming should be at reduced levels or else, it will be catastrophic.

    Read More

  • Global Warming - A Natural Process

    676 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Earth’s current CO2 level is at 393.84ppm (CO2now, 2013). This is the highest of the high levels in the past 450,000 years. Extra carbon dioxide in the air is believed to keep temperatures steady and contributing to the greenhouse effect which causes the planet to warm. Scientists believe that humans add CO2 through the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and livestock farming to name a few. Natural processes also contribute to the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere including forest fires. Two sources on Earth remove CO2 from the atmosphere: Trees and the ocean. Deforestation can contribute to global warming because trees absorb carbon dioxide and when trees are removed the Earth loses its natural carbon storehouses. Phytoplankton consume CO2 through the photosynthesis process and transport it from the ocean’ surface to the deep. These sources eliminate 30-50% of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

    Read More

  • Political History of Global Warming

    1089 Words  | 3 Pages

    There is a lot of ambiguity surrounding the theory of 'global warming' and the proper political response to it. At the very center of the scientific debate on the variability of global climate is to what extent human activities influence climate change. Another unforeseeable is whether the potential impacts of climate change will be harmful or beneficial for humans, managed agriculture, and natural ecosystems. Some question the authority with which current scientific data has been given in international negotiations on the regulation of greenhouse gases. Others are convinced that immediate actions must be taken to limit the potential effects of excess greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere since the beginning of the industrial era.

    Read More

  • Globalization And Climate Change

    1026 Words  | 3 Pages

    As time has progressed, the effect of human activity on Earth has lead to a shift in the way our climates now operate. More recently in humanity’s history, global warming has become an imminent source of worry for the future. The cause of climate change on the planet is directly linked to industrialization and the acute exploitation of fossil fuels. In relation to sociology, globalization is a contributor to the variance in climate, changing how the world operates on a global scale. The choices made by those in power, more specifically those who hold high ranking political positions, are considerably influential to the Earth’s future. While some people may attribute climate change solely to the ice age cycle and deny the very the existence

    Read More

  • The Media's Misrepresentation of Environmental Issues

    1989 Words  | 4 Pages

    Today’s mainstream media has a deep influence on numerous aspects of economical and social life, it provides information and data almost on everything that happens on our planet. Mainstream media became one of the most important and influential instruments in our society, as the news stories reach a large numbers of people in a short time. Different people are using mainstream media as a first source of information; humans need the information, which is why there is a great deal of trust on media. We follow the news because it is our duty as citizens to be informed; it gives us the facts that help us make the right decisions and also gives us something to talk about. The media has a great public responsibility in front of their audience; therefore, they are expected to provide information that is accurate, reliable and free from bias. It is essential that the public is truly informed about the controversial topics on environmental issues, like DDT and GMOs. Media informs the public with regard to science and technology, which further impacts policy making within the society. The drawback with today’s mainstream media is that it tends to provide information that is far from what is happening in the real world. Current news media misrepresent some news report in order to gain attention and they omit the most important news from television, newspapers or radio that the public deserves to know. The articles “Environmentalism for the 21st Century” by Dr. Patrick Moore, “Rachel Carson’s Environmental Genocide” by Lisa Makson, “Lawrence Solomon: For global warming believers, 2013 was the year from Hell” by Lawrance Solomon and “Global warming at work: how climate change affects the economy and labour” by Raveena Aulakh will be discussed ...

    Read More

  • New Forms of Energy and Attendant Costs

    2638 Words  | 6 Pages

    Ungar, Sheldon. 1992. “The Rise and (Relative) Decline of Global Warming as a Social Problem.” The Sociological Quarterly 33: 483-501.

    Read More

  • Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect

    749 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human induced climate change resulting from an enhanced greenhouse effect is probably the greatest environmental threat facing the world today. Specifically, the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide may be classified as the primary culprit. As a result of greenhouse gases entering the upper levels of the earth's atmosphere, it diminishes or breaks down the earth's Ozone layer. With this loss of this protective blanket, harmful radioactive rays from the sun enter the deeper into the earth's atmosphere. This creates a rise in the overall temperature of our planet, along with alterations in the global environment, ecosystems and way of life for the habitants of earth.

    Read More

  • Global Warming: An Inconvenient Truth

    1346 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 2006, former senator Al Gore created an academy award winning documentary on global warming entitled “An Inconvenient Truth” . The movie earned several awards including an academy award for best documentary and gore later received a noble peace prize. The movie discussed several different topics of great concern to global warming; such as permafrost, climbs in temperature, extinction of species, drought, and fatigue to name a few. Four writers in five different articles discussed the three topics of greenhouse gases, climate change, and causes of global warming. These writers are writer and scholar Bill McKibben in “Think Again: Climate Change” and “How Close to catastrophe”; William J. Broad, writer for the New York Times in “From a Rapt audience, a call to cool the hype”; writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Kevin O’Brien, in “Global Warming? I won’t be losing any sleep over it”; and Alan Zarembo, staff writer for the the Los Angeles Times, in “Game over on global warming?” All though the articles explain some different topics from one another, only one of them disagree with gore on the causes for global warming being humans, they all agree that there will be impacts to the environment, and all of them believe that greenhouse gases are one of the primary causes for global warming.

    Read More

  • Global Warming: An Ethical Issue

    1520 Words  | 4 Pages

    Wikipedia. “History of climate change science”. Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. April 10th, 2014. Web. May 2nd, 2014.

    Read More

  • The Problem of Global Warming

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gerngross, Tillman U. and Steven C. Slater. "How Green are Green Plastics?" Scientific American. August 2000:1-7.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Climate Change

    1010 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nine of the eleventh hottest years in the 20th century have occurred since 1985 which is not consistent with a natural trend. Glacier Shrinkage is occurring at a much faster rate than can be explained by natural trends. Even when the heat effects of volcanoes and other misleading weather phenomena that would make the temperature of the earth seem higher than it actually is being taken out of consideration studies show that the surface temperature of the earth has been increasing at a rate of 0.17 degrees Celsius per decade. These figures are not consistent with a natural trend, and, when one considers the tens of thousand of years in which humans have inhabited the earth, and that humans have really only started burning fossil fuels heavily since the industrial revolution, and the fact that the world’s population is only going to increase, this number is dauntingly

    Read More

  • the causes and effects of global warming

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    Global warming has been generally concerned with the whole world. Over the past 100 years, the average temperatures of the Earth experienced 2 fluctuations which are cold-warm and cold-warm. However, the Fifth Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) points out that the average global temperature has increased 0.4 - 0.8°C in the overall trend. Even worse, scientists from the IPCC (2014) forecast the temperature will be higher and higher in the future.

    Read More

  • The Causes And Impacts Of Man-Made Global Warming

    2008 Words  | 5 Pages

    Global warming is the increase of the average global temperature in the Earth 's atmosphere. Man-Made global warming has been a topic f controversial issue for many decades now. There are many theories as to why there has beem such a drastic change in the Earth 's atmosphere throughout the years. Global warming is indeed a product of humanities ' careless activities. The theories presented have ignited many debates amongst scientists and the increase in temperature has been the fuel that has kept them going on for so long. According to multiple scientists, humans are the ones responsible for the alarming change in the Earth 's atmospheric temperature. These scientists also fear that human activity will result in long term consequential problems

    Read More

  • An Essay On Climate Change

    1990 Words  | 4 Pages

    These two case studies along with the other information above provide examples of the vast impacts that climate change is currently having and further changes that are predicted to have on both the environment and human development in the future. Some of these impacts are positive however overall negative impacts are expected to occur. This will create many consequences and issues for future generations, some challenges which may be overcome, and some which may not.

    Read More

  • The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Global Warming And Climate Change

    1066 Words  | 3 Pages

    “ 'Well done ' is better than 'well said ',” as Mr. Benjamin Franklin once so eloquently put it. But what if it does not matter? What if too much is being said and maybe not enough is being done? Some believe that our kind has become blind to what may or may not be happening to the planet, and that is climate change. Climate change is very often referred to as “global warming”. Climate change is labeled to changes in normal cycles of Earth 's atmosphere that may very well be at the hand of human caused activities. Climate change also refers to a chemical imbalance in cycling of the carbon element. Global warming is a worldwide controversial topic that has been argued and debated on countless occasions among scientists ' top professionals. However, while others are

    Read More

More about A Historical Perspective of Global Warming

Open Document